The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-10
SIZE STRIKES THE KEY NOTE FOR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A Much Needed Reform Ably Discussed.

tlemen: How to derive more benz
eft from our public schools is a
question which touches the pocket
nerve of every man and oman in
the county, and yet, though that
same pocket nerve is said to be more
sensitive than any other, the peo>
pie of Fayette county go on suffer
ing continual drains to be. made
upon it with only an occas ional growl
of protest!
Money is continually being vast
ed on our schools without any ad.
benefit accruing. It may
seem strange that I Of all persons
make this assertion, and it
may very reasonably be asked,
"WhY do you, our County Super
intendent, allow this waste?" Soft
ly, my friends, do not condemn me
unheard, for your County Superin-
tendent is as pOwerless to remedy
this evil as the youngest pupils in
your schools! But you will ask,
"Who then can prevent 1T" 1 an
swer, Your directors and your
selves!" Listen while | give you a
few facts and figures taken from the
report furnished to the State Su-
perinuendent from Fayette county
for the year just passed, and after
you have considered these wish to
tell you how in my opinion you and
your directors may stop the leak,
which unstopped, will make the svs-
tenn of pubic schools go down like
an unworthy vessel laundering In
mid -oceanl
In this report we are accredited
with 129 schools, employing 1877
teachers. The amount sPant in the
different districts WAS $13, 909.32
and yet the schools are closed fol
nearly ten months out of the twelve
There is something "rOtten in Den
mark" Let us try and find Out
what it is, We have Is civil dis,
tricts in the county, which are also
the school districts, and in some O
these there are as many as l 1 schools
If the directors were to reduce tn
number one half we wouldbe ena-
bed to keep our schools open TO
tour or SIX month instead of twt
or three which is now the outside
limit. But say the directors, "W
cannot reduce the number of tn
schools, for the people insist on
school in every ne'ghborhood AM
the law says a school may be organ
lied where there are 10 pupils
Here is a barrier which we canno
surmount-let us see if there is II,
way by which we may outfank anC
go round it. Let US first examine
this answer Of the directors, whle
seems reasonable enough. and see
we cannot find a flaw in it, I hav
carefully examined the Digest of tn
Public School Laws, issued by Stat
Supt. Paine, and no where can fin
any section which in any way at
thorizes the common belief that
school may be organized where ther
are y pupils, but III the Code 70
1870, Chapter 81, Section 46, ma
be found the following: "Whe
the population Of any school dis
trict is scattered, a portion lying r,
mote from the place where the di.
trict school Is situated, such porto
of the population by themselves {
in connection with citizens of otht
district or distrits, may obtain a re-
table share of the school fund of til
district for the supl ort OF a separat
} school house by furnishing to til
Commissioners list Of II or MOI
scholars, within the ages prescrib.
by law, to attend such separqt
school. The ratabIe proportion {
! the fuRd thus obtained shall be ar
propriate ] to the separate schoc
} under the direction of the commi.
sioners." This act of Is 20 has new
er been directly repealed, nor ha
any act been passed since which dl
rectly opposes this section and | be
lieve that any act not directly re
pealed and which is not in opposition
to later act is in full effect and
the law of the lard. Thus you Sc
the directors by following the cours
marked out by the lawgiyers ma
refuse to open a school in ever,
neighbOrhOOd where thcle are !.
pupils and thus reduce the Nun
Der Of schools. But there Is still
remedy: Suhdivide school dis.
trlcts. In chaps, section 2 OF tn
Digest of School Laws it is said o
districts: The District Director
are authorized to subdivIde schoo
districts when advio aole.
Fully approaching the difficult,
which the directors may have il
subdivIding the districts, a motion
was made at the last term of th
County Court praying the Court +
take this matter in hand and. ap